Opinion

Oppose the Russian resolution on “traditional values” at Human Rights Council

At the current session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Russia has tabled a resolution seeking to promote "traditional values" as a basis for human rights. Numerous UN experts have emphasised that traditional values are frequently invoked by States to justify human rights violations, such as family violence, marital rape, forced marriage and female genital mutilation.

Last year, the Human Rights Council tasked its Advisory Committee to prepare a report on traditional values (read more). Now Russia wants to proceed with a new resolution before the Advisory Committee has even finished its report. Russia's resolution is therefore premature and procedurally flawed.

A preliminary report of the Advisory Committee is highly critical of a traditional values approach to human rights, calling traditional values "vague, subjective and unclear" and noting that "those most marginalized and disenfranchised have the most to lose from a traditional values approach to human rights".

There is absolutely no recognition in Russia's draft resolution that many practices inconsistent with human rights derive from traditional values. If this resolution is passed, there is no doubt that governments in future will use "traditional values" to restrict human rights.

We feel that this resolution should be strongly opposed and we need your help today to urge your government to vote against the resolution.

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